Salisbury Neighbors Use Nextdoor to Build Community Garden

When neighbors in Salisbury, MD decided to make their neighborhood a little bit healthier, they headed online to get the job done.

Thanks to an innovative lease from the city government, neighbors in the Camden community in Salisbury were given a barren city-owned lot in their neighborhood. Together, they worked for several weeks to turn the empty lot into a thriving, organized garden, naming it the Camden Community Garden.

“One little girl had a smile as big and glowing as you’ve ever seen.”

With a playground right next to the garden, kids often wander in and are encouraged to harvest produce for themselves and their families.

“One little girl had a smile as big and glowing as you’ve ever seen,” says Martin Hutchison, the head gardener. “All for a bag of kale. Every time I see her, she gives me a hug. She’s so happy to be a part of this garden.”

Martin used Nextdoor to launch the idea of a community garden in their neighborhood, and has continually used Nextdoor to keep neighbors updated on the progress of the garden’s development.

“I send out pictures of things that are ready and some things that we’ve changed in the garden,” Martin says. “I also post ‘how-to’s’ and how to harvest for the neighbors.”

Neighbors don’t plan on stopping with just one garden. Martin says he’s eager to help other Salisbury neighborhoods start their own community gardens in the future.